Presbyterian church to undergo renovation

Tucked back against the rolling hills and abundant acres of farmland sits the Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church located just a short drive away from Letterkenny Army Depot.

Built in 1794 by Walter Beatty, it is one of the oldest Presbyterian churches in the United States. The historic church features a plastered ceiling; handmade brick flooring, a canopied pulpit and the original overhead soundboard, meant to radiate the preachers voice throughout the building.

“The church had a large congregation back in its prime, with over 300 people,” said Sue Hershey, president of the Franklin County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. “It was very vibrant.”

A short time later, close to 40 of its members took up arms and fought in the American Revolution, with nearly half of them including their pastor, John Craighead being buried on the property.

Put out of service in the early 1900s, the church was placed under the watchful eyes of the Franklin County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a handful of court appointed trustees to maintain the property.

Recently, the DAR noticed there was a need for a few renovations to keep their beloved church in usable condition.

“In the past year, I applied for a historic preservation grant through the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution,” Hershey pointed out. The near $5,000 grant will allow Michael Albert, a local historic preservationist to reinforce the 1794 original overhead soundboard, which was becoming a safety concern as well as taking care of a few dry rotted windowsills.

“We want to preserve the church and its history for many generations to come,” Hershey added.

With the pulpit and soundboard surrounded with scaffolding and renovations soon to be completed, the church will now be safely used and remembered for years to come.

In continuing with the holiday spirit, the Daughters of the American Revolution will be hosting a Christmas caroling event on Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. at the church. Carpooling is recommended as parking is limited.

Contact John Irwin at jirwin@therecordherald.com or at 717-762-2151.

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